News

The "Sasna Tsrer" Party, which organized the collection of signatures for the annexation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) to Armenia, reported that it had collected 230 signatures in support of the initiative. Three parties in the parliament of the unrecognized republic condemned the collection of signatures and spoke for the independence of the NKR.

At trial, two officials from the district administrations of Krasnodar reported how participants in the protest action against the pension reform were detained and how Mikhail Benyash was brought to the UVD (Interior Department). Witnesses were physically unable to observe both events, since they had occurred in different places at the same time, the defence noted.

In Magas, after the police voiced threats to disperse a rally using water cannons, none of the protesters left the square, reported human rights defender Magomed Mutsolgov. Users of social networks noted a peaceful atmosphere in the square.

Azerbaijani military servicemen have tried to bring their positions closer to the Armenian ones and opened fire in response to the warning, the Armenian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated. In its turn, the Azerbaijani MoD refuted this information, announcing the death of its soldier in another section of the frontline.

At least 2000 protesters have stayed in the square cordoned off by law enforcers in Magas; they were warned that the continuation of the rally was not sanctioned, said Magomed Mutsolgov, a human rights defender.

Today, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has awarded from 2,000 to 15,000 euros to 19 Georgian citizens expelled from Russia in 2006.

The participants of the rally held in Magas have supported the activists' proposal to submit a notification to the authorities about the continuation of the action. Moscow should pay attention to the protest of residents of Ingushetia, the human rights activist Magomed Mutsolgov, believes.

Today, the North-Caucasian District Military Court has found Shamil Yusupov guilty of creating a gang, attempting to kill policemen and stealing weapons, and sentenced him to imprisonment at a high-security colony.

The participants in the today's rally against the law on referendum have expressed distrust to the head of the republic, Yunus-Bek Evkurov, and demanded his resignation.

On March 25, Abdul-Kerim Kadyrov, a cousin of the head of Chechnya, was appointed the head of the "Rosgvardia" (Russian National Guard) Department Training Centre.

Today, residents of Ingushetia have gathered in central Magas, responding to the call of the organizing committee of the rally against the referendum law.

The surveillance camera records and the examination of the body of Ayub Tuntuev, a former security of the Chechen leader, have failed to confirm his relatives' version about his death after beating in a colony, the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) has stated. However, the advocate of the inmate is sure that the version of his client's suicide is absolutely unacceptable.

Authorities of European countries are fundamentally underestimating the danger to dissidents in Chechnya and continue expelling immigrants from Northern Caucasus to their homelands, the rights defenders interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have stated. Tumso Abdurakhmanov received new threats after blood feud was declared to him by Magomed Daudov.

Across Georgia, about 240 social workers involved in protecting women and children have stopped their activities and announced an indefinite strike demanding to improve their working conditions, Raisa Liparteliani, a deputy chair of the Association of Independent Trade Unions of Georgia, told the "Caucasian Knot".

The Elista City Court has reduced the amount of compensation for moral harm in favour of the Akhmed Saliev, a former prisoner, from 2 million to 50,000 roubles, the "Zone of Law" has informed.

During the week of March 18-24, 2019, no events related to the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus were recorded. There were no reports about casualties or wounded persons.

At least three people have been detained in the Khasavyurt District on suspicion of complicity with Karina Spiridonova, who, according to the Chechen authorities, committed a suicide bombing in November 2018 at a checkpoint in Grozny, said a law enforcement source.

The disposal of documents on the 2018 Russian presidential election, which should be held today in the country's regions, is essential for investigating violations, said Roman Udot, a board member of the "Golos" (Vote) Movement in Defence of Voters' Rights, after the vigorous analysis of video records from polling stations.

Activist Murad Khazbiev requested the court to assess the legality of the Internet and mobile communication blackouts during protest actions against the border agreement between Ingushetia and Chechnya. Activists learned from the "Roskomnadzor" that the blackouts took place because of the instructions issued by the law enforcement bodies, reported Andrei Sabinin, an advocate of Murad Khazbiev.

A hunger strike of Pavel Grib, a citizen of Ukraine, sentenced to six years of imprisonment on the charge of incitement to a terror act, will be held in a separate cell with video surveillance, reports today the chairman of the Public Oversight Commission for the Rostov Region.